Secret Invasion: Who Do You TrustReview

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Should you trust this latest Secret Invasion tie-in?

By Jesse Schedeen

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Do you have enough Secret Invasion tie-ins on your plate? Marvel certainly doesn't think so. SI: Who Do You Trust follows the same concept as 2006's Civil War: Choosing Sides. The issue collects several tales that could be best described as micro stories, each fleshing out a different corner of the conflict. As with Choosing Sides, few of the stories few necessary to the grander scheme of things. If nothing else, though, Marvel has assembled a very respectable batch of artists to handle these stories, and that's probably enough to entice the average SI fan.

The one story that does feel "necessary" to some extent is Brian Reed's Captain Marvel segment. With Lee Weeks on board, this chapter truly feels like an unpublished epilogue to the recent mini-series. Based on the confusing gap between that series' ending and Marvel's appearance in SI #1, it probably should have been included. Reed attempts to explain Marvel's justification for attacking Thunderbolts Mountain despite his apparent resistance to his Skrull programming. The ultimate explanation is still a bit lacking, but at least they tried...

Much more entertaining is a segment featuring Agent Brand of SWORD. I can understand why no writers outside of Joss Whedon have touched the character, given the closed nature of Astonishing X-Men. All the same, I'm pleased that Brand is fair game now. Her story is definitely the highlight of the issue, both because of Mike Carey's smart, witty portrayal and Timothy Green's dynamic artwork. I don't get the impression that Marvel is pitching any new books with these stories, but I'd be extremely open to a larger SWORD project based on this story.

The rest of the issue is a mixed bag. The Beast/Wonder Man segment succeeds in reminding us what was so fun about the duo's classic adventures. All the same, the story relishes teasing readers about Beast's possible Skrull identity even as they know the answer won't be forthcoming. Marvel Boy's story doesn't necessarily add anything new to the character's current situation, yet it doesn't fully explain his history to the numerous readers who probably don't know who the heck he is. As for the Agents of Atlas segment, its purpose seems more to remind readers that these characters exist and likely test the waters for future material. I'm always happy to see more of these characters, but they aren't given much to work with.

These stories don't accomplish much, which is unsurprising given their short length. They do all manage to look good, though, particularly the Agent Brand and Marvel Boy segments. If you need a snazzy-looking SI comic to tide you over for the next few weeks, Who Do You Trust is probably right up your alley.